When I remarked the importance of cutting 

 away any broken or bruised shoots before plant- 

 ing, because when this is not done it so frequently 

 results in the rotting of the roots, I remember 

 you seemed a little skeptical. When cutting off 

 broken or bruised roots, use a sharp knife, and 

 cut them off right straight across, never on a 

 slant. You also thought it a great deal of trouble 

 when I advised giving the roots a mud bath before 

 planting, and recommended dipping the whole 

 bush except the roots in a solution made of one 

 ounce of lime and sulphur and two gallons of 

 water, and after dipping placing them in a tub 

 containing enough unfertilized screened loam and 

 water to make a nice, thick, muddy paste, to 

 make the roots flexible so that they might easily 

 be spread out when planted, at the same time 

 preventing any fertilizer that has been mixed 

 with the soil coming in immediate contact with 

 them. Do you realize now the value of this? and 

 how important it was that after the holes were 

 prepared they were filled with two or three gallons 



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